History of Absalom
Over the past five thousand years, the tomes and volumes detailing the history of Absalom, the City at the Center of the World, have grown to fill even the largest of libraries. Many important events in Absalom's history, however, remain unrecorded. Most notable among these lost tales is that of the city's founding; as a result, a complex, powerful myth has developed surrounding the city's genesis. Founding and Early History In the ages preceding the Age of Enthronement, Absalom did not exist; some go so far as to say that the Isle of Kortos itself had yet to rise above the waves of the Inner Sea. All this changed when Aroden, at the time still mortal, raised the Starstone from the depths to its current location, making it the focus of what would become the City at the Center of the World. Whether or not the Last Azlanti also raised, or created, the Isle of Kortos has been the subject of debate for millennia. That he did so remains the pervading belief of the natives and of many religions, although no supporting records date back farther than 1450 AR. founds Absalom.]] The confusion regarding Absalom's origins is not unfounded. Aroden performed his task alone, and spoke little of it afterward. Records of the first few centuries of life in Absalom are spotty at best; the Founding Law of Absalom was written in stone within Azlanti Keep, but no other original documents survive. Four millennia of mold, accident, and possibly intentional sabotage have destroyed every book, scroll, or tablet kept before 400 AR. Copies of copies, each claiming to represent the original text, can be found throughout the city, but even within Forae Logos, editions rarely agree with one another. As a result, much of the first millennium of Absalom's history is less history and more mythology. Regardless of the city's actual origins, its whole-cloth creation allowed for quick settlement, and Aroden gave the best and the bravest of the Inner Sea region the task of protecting the Starstone from any who might move it. Centuries of Siege Due to Absalom's superb location and undeniable influence, a number of ambitious nations and greedy warlords have set their sights on the walls of Absalom since the earliest days of its existence. For centuries, the city was almost constantly besieged by one army or another, each attempting to bring Absalom to its knees. Despite this relentless onslaught, the city has never fallen, although relics of ancient wars still litter the plains of the Isle of Kortos, and sunken warships clutter the floor of the harbor. The unsuccessful Reborn Rebellion, led by Garev Halfhand, marred the year 1464 AR. Recent History Much has changed in Absalom in the past century. Rioting and violence became widespread in the streets after the death of the former Primarch, who was strongly influenced by Cheliax. Lord Gyr of House Gixx stepped into the power void; using his own troops and personal influence, he calmed the city and established an equilibrium between its factions. In 4660 AR he was elected Primarch of Absalom's Grand Council, a positon he holds to this day. In 4698 AR, a terrible earthquake rocked the city, sinking the Puddles below sea level and plummeting much of the Precipice Quarter, then known as Beldrin's Bluff, into the sea. Both the cause and full repurcussions of this disaster remain unknown. References Category:Absalom